Waterproof receptacle



Jan. 20, 1953 W. v. RICHARDS 2,626,299

WATERPROOF RECEPTACLE 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Filed May l0, 1949 'lllll/lllllllllllllllmwa , E5, MJZMQLHE Jan. 20, 1953 w. v.vR|cHARDs 2,626,299

WATERPROF RECEPTACLE Filed May l0, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented Jan. 20, 1953 WATERPROOF RECEPTACLE Wayne V. Richards, Union City, Mich., assignor to Kingston Products Corporation, Kokomo, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application May 10, 1949, Serial No. 92,448

9 Claims.

This invention relates generally to separable connectors and particularly to a separable connector having component parts assembled in a novel manner in which certain of the parts are arranged to provide a water-tight seal when the connector is placed in assembled relationship.

The desirability and utility of waterproof connectors has been demonstrated in many diverse environments where the application of electrical apparatus or electric circuits is required.

A particularly advantageous application of a waterproof connector can be made to military equipment which is designed to operate under the most diilicult of environmental conditions,

l for example, amphibious operations in a strategic land-sea locale.

Heretofore most waterproof connectors have consisted of elaborate fitted assemblies or expensive integral mouldings of rubber elements.

An object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a waterproof connector which is formed of relatively simple parts assembled in a novel manner to form a tightly locked waterproof connection at the locale of a cooperating socket and plug.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel grommet made oi resilient material which, when used in a connector assembly performs the dual function of resiliently locking interconnecting members in place and providing an eiiicient water-tight seal at the locale of a socket and plug.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a separable connector which is inexpensive to manufacture but which is completely elicient for its intended purpose.

According to the features of this invention a separable connector is provided which includes a socket and a plurality of plugs receivable therein each having a resilient grommet deiining a socket-seating shoulder and a sleeve portion cooperable with interlocking means which elastically deforms the grommets in such a manner as to form a water-tight seal at the locale of the socket and the plug.

Many other objects and advantages of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is an end view of a separable connector embodying the principles of my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of the separable connector shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line III-III of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an exploded view showing the order of assembly and additional details of construction of the various elements comprising a separable connector embodying the principles of my invention;

Figure 5 is a partial cross sectional View broken away to show a modied form of a separable connector embodying the principles of the present invention;

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view of the modied resilient grommet used in thestructure d epicted in Figure 5;Y

Figure '7 is an end elevational view of a multiwire separable junction connector embodying the principles of my invention;

Figure 8 is an end elevational view `of a resilient grommet used in the structure shown in Figure '7;

Figure 9 is a cross sectional view taken on line IX-IX of Figure 8; and

Figure l0 is a cross sectional view taken on line X-X of Figure '7.

As shown on the drawings: i

Referring iirst to Figures l, 2, 3 and 4 a separable connector is indicated generally by the reference numeral II and is shown as including a socket I2 comprising a plastic or non-conductive shell I2@ and a bayonet-type receptacle I2b made of a suitable electrically conductive material having spring rings I2c assembled thereon.

The free ends of a single-wire conductor to be joined by the separable connector II are indicated generally by the reference characters A and B. As will be seen on the drawings, the conductor may be suitably sheathed by an oil-resistant waterproof insulating material I3 such as neoprene or the like.

A plug I4 made of a suitable electrically conductive material may be attached to the end A of the conductor and a corresponding plug I6 also made of a suitable electrically conductive material may be aflixed to the end B of the conductor.

Referring particularly to Figure 4, a resilient grommet is indicated generally by the reference numeral I 'I and may take the form of a moulded rubber element dening an enlarged socket-seating portion I Ia through which extends a plugreceiving aperture I'Ib. The grommet I1 further denes a substantially cylindrical reduced diameter sleeve I 'Ie which extends rearwardly from the socket-seating portion Ila. It will be noted that the socket-seating portion I'Ia defines an internally disposed recess or groove as at I'Id which facilitates deformation of the seating portion when the grommet I1 is placed under compression.

ytoward one another rafter the plugs ifi and is It should also lbe noted that the lip of the aperture at the enlarged socket-seating portion I'Ia normally defines a tapered bevel terminating in a reduced diameter portion of smaller diameter than that dened by plugs I and It.

A grommet I7 is placed over each of the plugs, and as Amay be seen by making .speciiic reference to Fgure, the bore of the cylindrical portion Ic ts snugly around the insulating material i3 and the lip of the aperture lib formed at the enlarged socket-seating portion Ila is snugly seatedV on each plug I4 and I6.

The embodiment of the .present `invention shown in Figures 1 through e is completed by a pair of shells indicated by the reference numerals I8 and I9.

The shell I8 is provided with a 'pair of dia-metrically opposed bayonet prongs la which .are receivable in locking slots ISc formed in the shell I9.

.Each of the shells 1.8, and i9 .is further provided with a reduced diameter throat indicated at ISD and ISb which is of such a diameter as to .be snugly seated upon the vcylindrical sleevey portion II 'Ic .of .the grommet I l.

The grommet Il may be slightly tapered as at I'Ie to aord facile assembly of the shells .i8 and I9 over the sleeve portion Ilc of the grommet li.

As will be seen by making specic reference to Figure 3, when the shells I8 and i9 are moved have been received -into the socket i2, the grommets I'I are elastically deformed against their inherent resilience by virtue of the engagement or Athe socket YI2 with the socket-seating portion ila and the engagement of the throat portions lb and ISI: of the shells I8 and .I9 with the sleeve portion I'Ic of the grommet I'I.

Thus, the recess or groove I''d `of the grommet I'I tends to permit the enlarged portion Hd to be distended in such a manner as to promote a `:Water-tight seal at the locale of the junction between the socket I2 and the plugs I4 and i5.

Itshould also be noted that the shells I3 and I9` are locked together by a positive vresilient bias provided with a throat I 9b which doesnot snugly engage `the cylindrical sleeve portion of the grommet.

To vmeet this contingency, .the ,grommet previously described maybe modified as follows:

Referring specifically to Figure 6, a modied `grommet made of a resilient material is indicated generally by the reference vnumeral 2i! and .includes an emerged socket-seating portion Esa terminating in a shoulder 2Gb which is joined to a reduced .diameter sleeve portion Z'Elc extending rearwardly from the enlarged portion 25a. The grommet 2U may be tapered near its ends as at 20d as before and defines a reduced diameter aperture 20c located in the enlarged portion .-2011, The enlarged portion 28a may also be tapered or skived along its edge as at Etf.

As shown in Figure 5, the grommet 2B is placed tion, may be provided with an enlarged Cylindrical portion Ita lying in abutting relationship to the insulating material i3.

A. small adapter ring 2I is provided and preferably takes the form of a cylindrical element having a ared ange on one end thereof. The adapter ring is adapted to t snugly over the cylindrical sleeve portion 2do of the vgrommet 20 `and lies in abutting relationship to the shoulder 20d. Thus, when the shell IQ is moved into locking engagement with the corresponding shell indicated by the reference numeral I8, the socket 2 engages the tapered edge 25J' of the grommet 26 Yand the shell I9' engages the adapter ring ZI which in turn -is compressed against the grommetZ.

By virtue of the novel arrangement described above, the grommet 29 will be elastically deformed and will snugly surround the cylindrical portion Ita formed on the plug le in such a manner as to define a Water-tight seal at the locale between the socket i2 and the plug It.

Referring now to Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10, a multi- Wire separable connector is indicated generally by the reference numeral 2&5. By Way of Vexample, the embodiment of the multi-Wire separable connector 25 is shown in connection With a three wire junction, however, it Will be readily understood that the principles of this invention are equally applicable to any other combination of conductors in la `separable connector.

It 'Will be noted upon making reference to Figure 10 that the right hand portion vof the connector 25 is similar to the .structures described above. Thus, it 'is seen that the connector 25 may include a conductor C sheathed by an insulator 25 and capped by a plug 2. Agrommet 28 surrounds the plug 2l and the insulator 26 and receives an adapter ring 29 which, in turn, seats the throat a of a shell 3B.

The other `end of the connector 25 includes a shell 3! suitably slotted as Vat vSla to provide interconnecting locking means with the'shell 39.

A socket 32 made of an insulating material such as a hard moulded oil-resistant rubber may be disposed within the shells 30 and 3! and the socket 32 is herein shown as dening a plurality of receptacles 373 for receiving the plugs 3d and 36 aihxed to the ends of conductors D and E respectively. The conductors D and E are also sheathed by suitable insulating material 26.

It may be noted that the receptacles 33 are provided with spring rings 33a, preferably made of beryllium copper, which are assembled over the ends of the receptacles. The vrings 33a apply additional tension against the plugs S and 3B, Vthereby improving electrical contact and preventing the possibility ofr the inner receptacle assembly from being over-expanded. Similar spring rings 12e are shown in the embodiment described in connection with Figures 1-6.

Referring particularly to Figures 8 and 9, a modied grommet is indicated at 31 and is shown as including a socket-seating portion Sla beveled as at 31h and dening a plurality of ,plug receiving apertures 31C. The enlarged portion 31a terminates in a shoulder Bld and a plurality of substantially cylindrical sleeve portions 3ie eX- tend rearwardly therefrom. The sleeve portions 31e may be tapered as at 311 if desired.

In assembly, it Will be noted that the grommet 3l serves to place the plugs 34 and 36 in predetermined spaced relationship. Therefore, the plugs 34 and 36 may be quickly .inserted into the appropriate receptacles S3 of the socket 32 When so spaced.

An adapter ring 29 may be slipped over each cylinder sleeve portion 31e of the grommet 31 and the shell 3i may be brought up for locking engagement with the shell 3D.

Thus, it will be noted that the edges of thev socket 32 will engage the beveled edge 31h of the grommet 31 and the coaction of the adapter rings 29 against the cylindrical sleeve portions 31e of the grommet 3l will compressibly deform the grommet 3l against its inherent resilient bias in such a manner as to provide a water-tight seal at the locale of the junction between the plugs 34 and 35 and the socket 32.

It should be also be noted that the shells 3G and 3l will be locked together by a positive resilient bias provided by the deformed grommets 31 and 28.

It should be evident to those versed in the art that I have described a novel and improved separable connector wherein the arrangement of elementary component parts provide for effective water-tight sealing of an electrical juncture which is locked together under a positive resilient bias.

Although I have resorted to detail in the description of my invention for the sake of clarity, it should be understood that I do not propose to be limited to the specic embodiment herein shown by Way of example only.

I claim as my invention:

1. A separable connector comprising, in combination, a socket, a plug in each end of said socket, a resilient grommet on each plug, said grommet dening an enlarged socket seating portion and a substantially cylindrical sleeve portion, a shell snugly seated on the sleeve portion of each grommet, said shells dening interconnecting elements, whereby said shells may be interlocked against the resilient bias of said grommets, thereby deforming said grommets to form a water-tight seal at the locale of said socket and plugs.

2. A waterproof connector comprising a receptacle, a pair of conductors, a pair of bayonet type plugs on the ends of said conductors and received in opposite ends of said receptacle, a. resilient grommet snapped on each of said plugs, each grommet comprising a cylindrical sleeve concentric to said conductor wires and a pair of interlocking shells, each of said shells having a throat of such diameter as to snugly engage the sleeve of a corresponding grommet, said shells being resiliently biased when in locked together relationship by said grommets, said grommets being resiliently deformed by said shells and said receptacle to forma waterproof joint around said conductors.

3. A separable connector for a multi-wire junction comprising in combination, a socket, a plurality of plugs receivable in said socket, a rst resilient grommet dening a single plug aperture and having a socket-seating portion around said aperture as well as a substantially cylindrical sleeve portion extending rearwardly therefrom, a second resilient grommet defining a plurality of plug apertures and having a single socket-seating portion through which said plug apertures extend as well as a plurality of substantially cylindrical sleeve portions extending rearwardly therefrom and interlocking means seated on said sleeve portions of said rst and second grommets and locked against the resilient bias of said grommets thereby deforming said grommets to form a Water-tight seal at the locale of said socket and said plugs.

4. A separable connector for a multi-wire ju'nction comprising in combination, a socket, a plurality of plugs receivable in said socket, a resilient grommet defining a single plug aperture and having a socket-seating portion around said aperture as well as a substantially cylindrical sleeve portion extending rearwardly therefrom, a resilient grommet defining a plurality of plug apertures and having a single socket-seating portion through which said plug apertures extend as well as a plurality of substantially cylindrical sleeve portions extending rearwardly therefrom and interlocking means seated on said sleeve portions and locked against the resilient bias of said grommets thereby deforming said grommets to form a water-tightseal at the locale of said socket and said plugs, said interlocking means including adapter rings snugly seated on said sleeve portions and detented shells cooperable with said adapter rings and with each other to form a locked-together unitary connector.

5. A separable connector, comprising, in combination, an open-ended current continuing member comprising a socket, a. plug received in each end of said socket, a resilient grommet on each plug, each grommet having a socket-seating shoulder engaging the end of said socket, and a shell receptacle for each plug, each of said shell receptacles having a grommet seating portion on one end engaging one of said grommets and a quick-disconnect interlocking means on the other end, said shell receptacles arranged tointerlockingly engage one another and to concurrently deform said grommets, thereby to provide a positive resilient locking bias and to seal said plugs in opposite ends of said socket.

6. A separable connector, comprising, in cornbination, an open-ended current continuing member comprising a socket, a plug received in each end of said socket, a resilient grommet on each plug, each grommet having a socket seating shoulder engaging the end of said socket and a substantially cylindrical sleeve portion extending away from said shoulder, an adapter ring seated on said sleeve portion of each grommet, and shell receptacle means seated on said adapter rings, said receptacle means having quickdisconnect interlocking members arranged to interlock against the resilience bias of said grommets, said grommets being elastically deformable to concurrently form a water-tight seal between said plugs and said socket.

7. In a waterproof separable connector, the combination comprising a shelllike socket having an inwardly converging tapered rim, a plug extending into said socket, a tubular grommet elastically tted on said plug and having a raised end shoulder portion with an inclined face confronting said tapered socket rim and seating thereon, retaining means carried in said socket and detachably engaging said plug to maintain such seating relationship, a shell receptacle snugly surrounding said grommet and slidable against said shoulder` portion to compress and seal the same against said socket rim, said shell receptacle having a locking rim portion surrounding and spaced from said socket, and means engageable with said shell receptacle for locking the same on said grommet.

8. A separable connector, comprising, in combination, an open-ended current continuing member comprising a socket, a, plug received in each end of said socket, a grommet of each plug, said grommet comprising a generally tubular member receiving the plug and being provided with a generallycylindrical external surface having a `peripheral rib projecting outwardly-therefromoneside of said rib engaging the open end -of said socket, and .interlocking means engaging the surface portions of the respective grommets on the otherside of each :respective peripheral rib to elastically deform said grommets, Vthereby provid-ing a resilient locking bias and elastically deiorm-ing said grommets 'to form a Water-'tight seal between said plugs and said socket.

9. A separable connector, comprising, in cornbination, an open-ended socket, a current continuing member therein, a plug inserted in each end of said socket .and received by said current continuing member, spring rings on the ends of said current continuing .member improving elecl tricai contact between said plugs and said. member and controlling expansion of the ends of said -member, resilient grommet means carried by each vof said plugs and engaging `said socket, andinterlocking members seated against said grom- Ymet .means elastically deforming said grommet means, thereby forming a Water-tight seal between said plugs and said socket, said Seal being resiliently locked by a positive lresilient locking .bias provided by the deformation of said grommet means.

WAYNE V. RICHARDS.

REFERENCES CITED The lfollowing references are of record in the le of this patent:

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